Doohan’s Super Formula plans fall through at the last minute

Ex-Formula 1 racer Jack Doohan will not race in Super Formula after all this season after his negotiations with Kondo Racing ended without an agreement.

Kondo announced on Friday that Ukyo Sasahara will fill its second seat for the 2026 campaign, the Japanese driver joining the previously-announced Luke Browning.

Doohan, whose exit from the Alpine F1 team was confirmed in mid-January, had been widely expected to race for Kondo this year alongside Browning after appearing for the team last December in the post-season rookie test at Suzuka.

The Australian appeared on course to seal the final vacant seat on the grid as part of a larger deal with Toyota that would have likely included Haas F1 reserve duties.

However, negotiations are understood to have faltered in part because Doohan was expected to bring a budget to the table to secure his place at Kondo.

Matters were not helped by the fact the 23-year-old crashed three times over the course of the rookie test, each time at Degner 2, hampering his mileage and leaving him some way behind Williams F1 reserve Browning on the final timesheets.

It leaves Doohan facing an uncertain future, with few other opportunities at a high level likely to be available to him so late in the winter.

Two-time race winner Sasahara meanwhile has gained an unexpected chance to return to the Super Formula grid for the first time since he departed TOM’S at the end of the 2024 season.

The 29-year-old tested for Kondo at Suzuka after that, but was passed over for a race seat by the team in favour of Zak O’Sullivan.

Sasahara will drive the #4 Kondo car vacated by O’Sullivan, who has moved to Team Impul this season, while Browning pilots the #3 car.

Kondo’s announcement effectively completes the 23-car field for the 2026 season, with Shun Koide having been confirmed at ThreeBond Racing earlier this month.

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– The Autosport.com Team